Former Nigeria midfielder Ogenyi Onazi claimed that John Obi Mikel wielded significant influence in the Super Eagles and even used it to block certain players from being called to the national team.
During the Home Turf podcast, Onazi stated that Mikel, who led Nigeria to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, had become so pivotal within the team that his opinions could influence player selection.
While being cautious to recognize Mikel’s experience and position, the ex-Lazio midfielder implied that not all of that power was utilized in ways he supported.
“Mikel Obi was too influential when he was in the Super Eagles,” Onazi said.
“When Mikel was playing, there were some players because of his influence; he made it so they were not invited to the Super Eagles. He is my senior man. But there are things he did that I didn’t like.”
Onazi mentioned Trabzonspor’s winger Tony Nwakaeme as one player affected by Mikel, stating that the ex-Chelsea star confessed this during an unexpected meeting.
“One of such players was Tony Nwakeme. Mikel said it himself when we were eating in a restaurant in Istanbul, and he apologized to him. This is one of many,” he added.
The remarks have focused on Nwakaeme’s international career, which totaled only one Super Eagles cap despite ten years of steady play in European football.
Nwakaeme’s professional journey exemplifies determination and achievement in multiple leagues. Following his formative years in Scandinavia and Romania, he established an impressive reputation in Israel, where he emerged as a championship-winning star with Hapoel Be’er Sheva and earned the title of the league’s top player in 2017.
His transfer to Trabzonspor in 2018 further solidified his reputation, making him one of the club’s key attackers and a beloved figure among fans.
Nonetheless, in spite of that background, his Nigeria career comprised only one match—a 1-1 World Cup qualifying tie with Algeria in November 2017. In April 2019, he openly expressed that he felt he was entitled to more chances.
Onazi’s assertion implies that this gap between club performance and national chances might not have been solely technical.
The context for this is the significant influence Mikel possessed within the national team structure after 2013. A Champions League victor with Chelsea and leader of Nigeria’s AFCON-winning team, he was a key player for over ten years.
Mikel secured two Premier League championships, four FA Cups, and the Champions League in an 11-year tenure at Stamford Bridge.
On the international stage, he secured AFCON in 2013, earned an Olympic bronze in 2016, and represented Nigeria in two World Cups and five AFCON championships.
Onazi was an essential figure during that successful era, participating in every minute of Nigeria’s knockout rounds en route to the 2013 championship and starting all four matches at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
